Cross-Docking Overview

Many busy warehouses import inbound and outbound cross-dock orders (e.g. inventory, quantities, etc.) via EDI or API. Optionally, DVU users can manually create a cross-dock order on the platform.

Background

Warehouses use cross-docking to fulfill orders quicker and prevent time loss. Inventory doesn’t go into a rack location. Instead, it is received at a cross-docking location which becomes the pick location for the assigned shipping order. Usually, cross-dock locations are close to the receiving/shipping staging locations to improve efficiency.

Key points of DVU cross docking

• Cross-docking only works with inventory allocation set to Manual.

• Shipping orders need to exist in the system before the cross-dock function can assign lines to the order.

• Cross-dock locations should not be marked as pickable location types.

• DVU users should not set the cross-docked shipping order to In Process until receiving completes. If the status of a shipping order is In Process, DVU attempts to fulfill the order with inventory in pickable storage locations.

• Any shipping order linked to a receiving order prompts the user to pick from the cross-dock location, even if the location type is not pickable.

• Selecting a quantity to cross-dock, which is less than 100% of the received quantity, splits the received quantity into two lines. For example, if the warehouse receives 100 eaches and floor staff pick 75 eaches for a cross-dock shipping order, the RF gun shows two lines for the same item code; one with a quantity of 25 and one with a quantity of 75.

Scenarios

There are three cross-dock scenarios:

1. Baseline - A receiving order is fully cross-docked to one shipping order. The item code on the receiving order matches a line entry on the shipping order.

2. Multiple shipping orders - A single receiving order is split and cross-docked to multiple shipping orders.

3. Add a new line - A receiving order line quantity is added to the shipping order, thus creating a new line on the shipping order.